The present invention is directed generally to mobile telecommunications antenna mounting assemblies, and more specifically to a self-adjusting mobile telephone antenna mounting assembly which has a construction which reduces the likelihood of transfer of detrimental forces to the internal circuitry of the mounting assembly which may occur during installation of the assembly and antenna radiating element.
The number of mobile telephones in use in vehicles has risen dramatically in the past years and continues to increase. Many of these mobile telephones rely upon an antenna assembly mounted to the vehicle body. Often, the antenna assembly extends through an opening in the vehicle body and utilizes a portion of the vehicle body as a ground plane extension to enhance the ability of the antenna to receive and radiate radio frequency waves. The assembly typically includes an internal module mounted to the inside surface of the vehicle body and an external component which may extend through an opening cut in the vehicle body to engage the internal module. A cable extends between the vehicle mobile telephone and the internal module to connect them together.
These style mounting assemblies usually rely upon a cylindrical contact pin to connect the radiating element to the internal module. This contact pin extends up from the internal module through a protective cap to rigidly connect to the radiating element. These rigid connections are not easily adjustable and often may not compensate for the varying thicknesses encountered with different vehicle body panel portions. With such connections, the installation of either the protective base cap or radiating element may force the contact pin against the internal module and its associated internal circuitry, thereby increasing the likelihood of compromising the internal connections therebetween.
The present invention is directed to a mobile telecommunications antenna mounting assembly which overcomes the aforementioned disadvantages and which self-adjusts to the thickness of a vehicle mounting surface. It avoids the transfer of detrimental forces produced during installation to the internal circuitry of the internal antenna module and easily accommodates many standard antenna bases which use a central contact pin.
The antenna mounting assembly of the present invention comprises an external base and a protective base cap. The base cap includes a contact pin extension subassembly which may take the form of a cartridge-type assembly that extends through the base cap to provide an internal, self-compensating connection between the base contact pin and the antenna radiating element. The contact pin extension includes a biasing spring which extends within a recess of the pin body member and biases a circular collar, or hollow receptacle, axially outwardly from the body of the contact pin extension.
Inasmuch as vehicle body thicknesses vary between different makes and models of vehicles, the biasing spring permits selective axial movement of the contact collar to adjust for the distance which the base contact pin may project outwardly because of the vehicle body panel thickness. The contact pin extension engages the base cap so that the pin body member and base cap act as one component during installation. Accordingly, when the base cap is installed, there is no transfer of any twisting forces to the internal module circuitry of the antenna assembly because the contact receptacle freely spins while engaging the internal contact pin member.
Accordingly, it is a general object of the present invention to provide a universal mounting assembly for a mobile telecommunications antenna which self-adjusts for varying thickness of the vehicle body panels.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a mobile telecommunications antenna mounting apparatus having a spring-biased contact pin extension cartridge which rotatively engages the internal module contact pin to thereby eliminate the transfer of any detrimental forces to the contact pin during installation of the apparatus.
A further object of the present invention is to provide an improved universal pin mounting apparatus for a mobile telecommunications antenna which includes an external protective base cap having a cylindrical contact element extending axially through the base cap, the contact element having a cavity therein which houses a coil spring and a hollow contact sleeve, the contact sleeve being in rotatable contact with a rigid contact pin disposed in a base portion, the hollow sleeve element being axially biased within the contact element by the coil spring, whereby the spring permits the contact collar to displace within the cylindrical member cavity when engaged by a central contact pin of the antenna mounting base.
A still further object of the present invention is to provide a kit of parts for use in the assembly of a mobile telecommunications mounting assembly having an external base cap adapted to engage a base member which projects out from an opening in a vehicle body, the kit of parts including a contact pin body extension, a spring engaging the extension member and a contact sleeve slidably engaging the extension and spring, the extension member further engaging the base cap when installed such that the base cap and extension member rotate together as one component, whereby the spring permits self-adjustment of the extension member by movement of the contact receptacle along the pin body axis during installation.
These and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference numerals refer to like parts.